Life's not always perfect
by MarauderRose19136
Summary: Multi chapter fic set straight after the end of series 1. Rhydian will come back, but things won't run completely smoothly... Rated T to be safe. Please read and review!
1. Maddy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Wolfblood. It belongs to the BBC. It would be nice if I did :)**

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Maddy ran up to her room and flung herself on her bed, burying her face in a pillow. Tom couldn't be right. If Rhydian had really loved her, he wouldn't have left. She heard Shannon knock on her door. "Maddy?" Maddy sniffed a little, but didn't answer. "Maddy, are you alright?" Shannon opened the door tentatively and when she saw Maddy lying face down on the bed she came in, pulled her up and put her arms round her. "Don't worry Maddy, it'll be alright. You've still got me and Tom."

"Where is Tom?" Maddy asked.

"He went home" Shannon said. "I told him I was going to comfort you, and he said he had to help his mum with tea. I think he felt a bit awkward."

"Oh right. Didn't want to get involved with the girly stuff then?" Maddy sniffed. Shannon laughed.

"I'm sure that's what he thought! Look, it's not the end of the world Maddy."

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?" Maddy shouted at her, tears beginning to prick at her eyes. Shannon stumbled back.

"I'm sorry Maddy. I was just trying to comfort you."

"No Shan. I'm sorry, it's just he left without saying _anything_ to me!" Maddy said, tears finally spilling over and running down her cheeks. She wiped them away. Shannon came and sat down next to Maddy on the bed, putting her arm around her again.

"I'll get you a hot chocolate."

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Maddy trudged into school with her head down, wanting to avoid eye contact with everybody. She walked into class and sat down, the seat next to her painfully empty. She felt her eyes beginning to moisten and she rapidly blinked back the tears. She couldn't cry in class, she just couldn't. Shannon and Tom sitting behind her exchanged worried and looks and Tom was about to speak to her when Mr Jeffries walked in with a "Settle down everybody!" He went through the register and when he got to "Rhydian Morris!" he was met with silence. Mr Jeffries looked up and saw that Rhydian's seat was empty. He sighed and turned to Maddy. "Maddy, where is Rhydian?" Maddy looked up and opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She cleared her throat and tried again.

"I don't know sir." It came out all hoarse and quiet, and Maddy winced. You could _really_ tell she was trying not to cry.

_"You don't know?"_ Mr Jeffries repeated incredulously, seeming not to notice Maddy's tone. Maddy shook her head. "Well I shall be contacting his foster parents to find out where he is." Mr Jeffries informed her. Maddy didn't respond. "Not a lot gets past me in this school, Madeline Smith. Remember that."

The class, as one, rolled their eyes.

Maddy moped about all day, avoiding Shannon and Tom's attempts to cheer her up. At lunch she ran off into the woods, losing herself in a world of memories. Rhydian and her had been growing close, hadn't they? They'd helped each other out of tough situations. He'd even been with her for her first transformation; He'd held her hand as they stood there on that rock, gazing up at the full moon.

Then he'd just left. Walked off to a new life with his new-found mum and brother who hadn't ever been there for him! Abandoned him and left him to the human world when he was two! Forced him to reveal his secret (and hers, she reminded herself) to Tom and Shannon! Yet he _still_ chose them over her!

Maddy was woken from her reverie by her watch beeping. It was time to go back to school. She groaned and kicked up a pile of leaves, her resentment at Rhydian still flowing through her system. She made sure her schoolbag was done up securely, and then ran off back towards school, making it to the playground just as the bell went.

She sulked around for the rest of the day, even refusing to go to Bernie's after school with Shannon and Tom. Instead she went straight home and lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She remembered the time when Rhydian had given her that thistle root and kept her secret from Shannon and Tom. Tom had said he was jealous, and when she asked him, he hadn't denied it. Maddy's bottom lip trembled as the tears that had been threatening all day finally spilled over, and she rolled over and cried herself to sleep into her pillow.

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Over the next few weeks Maddy became secluded and stressed, her inner wolf always on the brink of taking over, but now instead of Rhydian to keep her out of harm's way, she had Shannon and Tom. They were always there to push her out of sight, or create a distraction, but it wasn't the same because as much as Maddy loved and appreciated their help, they couldn't properly understand her. Not like Rhydian. She still missed him, and as the moon became fuller, she realised that this was the first transformation she wasn't looking forward to, as well as her first one without Rhydian.

Full moon day dawned and Maddy woke up with a start. "Rhydian?" She looked around and remembered that he'd gone from her life, it was just a dream. She lay back on her bed and wiped the tears off her face before getting up to get ready for school as normal.

She bounded down the stairs, full of energy from the moon already. She stopped and sniffed. She could smell bacon. She ran into the kitchen where, true to her senses, her mother was cooking bacon on the stove. She smiled at her as Maddy came into the kitchen. "Morning Maddy. How are you feeling?"

"I miss Rhydian." Maddy said. Then she gasped and put her hands over her mouth. She hadn't meant to say that.

Her mother smiled and nodded, understanding. "That's alright Maddy. At the full moon, your senses are always stronger. Your human self misses a friend, and your wolf self yearns for a mate. Together, you were bound to feel like this at the full moon. Here." She gave Maddy a plate of bacon. "Eat that up and then get off to school. And don't get caught running unnaturally fast!" She called after her as Maddy walked off with her plate of bacon.

The meat was delicious. Maddy wolfed it down and then grabbed her bag and ran out the door. She ran through the woods at top wolf speed, but slowed down when she got to school. She met Tom and Shannon outside the darkroom as usual. "It's the full moon tonight Maddy." Shannon said. "How are you feeling?"

"I miss Rhydian." Maddy gasped and put her hands over her mouth again. She could have kicked herself. She'd said it. _Again._ Tom smirked.

"Is that it? What, it's the full moon and no, your eyes aren't turning yellow and you're not growing claws, _you miss Rhydian?_"

"No, that's not it!" Maddy growled angrily "I feel really energetic as well, it's just at the full moon my senses are always stronger, and I've never transformed without Rhydian before, so I'm a little nervous as to how I'm going to cope." Shannon narrowed her eyes.

"Okay. We believe you. For now." Maddy rolled her eyes and they all laughed as the bell went and they walked into form.

That night, Maddy spent her transformation curled up in the corner of the den, often howling for Rhydian. Oh how she missed him. It was almost a physical pain now, and he hadn't even been gone a month. When she woke up in the morning her mum came over, sat next to her and put an arm around her. "I'm so sorry Maddy." Maddy sniffed.

"You don't know what it's like mam. I want him back so badly."

"Oh Maddy" her mother said. "You can move on from this you know. It may take a while, as you've lost someone so close to you, but things will work out in the end, you'll see."

"No they won't." Maddy replied huffily

"One important thing to remember Maddy is that life's not always perfect."

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**A/N: Don't worry, Rhydian will be in the next chapter! I am working on it now, and it should be up soon. Please review, it really makes my day, and it helps me to write faster! If I have made any mistakes, please let me know! Thanks :)**


	2. Rhydian

**A/N: This chapter is about twice as long as the last one, I hope you enjoy it!  
Disclaimer: I don't own Wolfblood.**

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Rhydian followed Ceri and Bryn over fields and through woods, occasionally looking over his shoulder back towards Stoneybridge. He was sad to leave Maddy behind, but he had to leave. Shannon and Tom knew their secret, and it was his fault. Her parents didn't want her to have anything to do with him, and although that had happened in the past and he'd ignored them, he thought that this time they had a legitimate reason. He'd messed up her life. He'd got her in trouble so many times, and now he'd given away the secret of her whole family. The least he could do was convince Shannon and Tom not to post the photos, and then quietly walk out of her life.

Of course there was his family too. Little Bryn who kept scurrying between him and his mum, wittering incessantly about nothing in particular, just happy to have his brother so that his mum was happy. And Ceri who was striding on strongly ahead, setting the pace of the small group, looking over her shoulder to check that her sons were still behind her. So Rhydian was happy to be finally with his family, where he belonged, it was just that he couldn't forget the look on Maddy's face as she left in the back of that jeep with her parents, one hand on the back window, staring back at him. Rhydian shook his head, in a vain attempt to rid it of all thoughts of Maddy. He couldn't go back. Not after what he'd done to her.

When they got to the camp of Ceri and Bryn: a small, sheltered hollow with a concealed entrance to a cave (which Bryn showed him proudly), Ceri ordered the boys to go and collect wood for a fire, and went into the cave. Rhydian and Bryn walked out of the hollow and off into the surrounding forest in search of dry sticks that would catch light easily. On the way, Bryn asked him about what it was like in the human world, and Rhydian was happy to fill him in.

"So somebody else's parents teach you things?" Bryn asked, dropping his sticks in his excitement.

"Not quite." Rhydian laughed. "An adult who knows a lot teaches you the things you need to know. They don't have to be parents." Bryn's eyes were wide.

"And they call these places where the adults teach you things _spools_?"

"S_ch_ools" Rhydian corrected.

"Cool." Bryn replied, picking up his pile of sticks again. "What kind of things do you learn?"

"Lots of stuff. Maths, English…" He wrinkled his nose. "Science."

"What's science?"

"It's like, the way the world works" Rhydian tried to explain.

"Wow." They walked on in silence for a bit until Bryn said: "Rhydian?"

"Mmmm?"

"Will you teach me science?"

"What?" Rhydian stopped walking and looked at his brother. "I don't know Bryn. I was never any good at it."

"Oh come on Rhydian. Please?" Bryn looked at him hopefully.

"Alright."

"YAY!" Bryn shouted, dropping his sticks again and giving Rhydian a hug. Rhydian laughed and shook him off.

"Just don't tell your mum"

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Over the next few weeks Rhydian got used to the routine of his new life. It was mostly the same every day. They would all wake up when the sun rose, and the light penetrated into their cave, and then Ceri would send him and Bryn out to find some small animals to eat. After breakfast, they would drink from a small spring nearby and splash water on their faces to freshen themselves up a bit. During the day they would always hunt together, and then Ceri would go back to the cave and sleep for a bit while Rhydian and Bryn would go and collect wood for the fire that they would make to keep themselves warm that evening. During this time, Rhydian would do his best to teach Bryn science, and Bryn was fascinated by all that Rhydian told him. Ceri's howling would force them reluctantly to return to the hollow, when they would hunt again. Before dark, Ceri would send the boys out every day to check the boundaries of their territory and to report straight to her if they found anything amiss.

Rhydian found himself living for the times when he would teach Bryn science. The boy was so keen and eager to learn that he was a pleasure to teach, even for Rhydian, who was terrible at science.

The time he spent with Ceri however, was… strained to say the least. She seemed a little distant, and she spent a fair portion of the day sleeping. Rhydian would wish himself back in Maddy's pack, if it weren't for having to be in foster care, not having Bryn, and lying to his friends.

Although he wouldn't have to now, he reminded himself. Shannon and Tom knew that they were wolfbloods. He wondered what life was like for Maddy with Shannon and Tom there to support her. He felt a little twist in his stomach at the thought of someone else taking care of Maddy.

No! He had to stop thinking about her. It was all his fault that the whole school had nearly found out about her secret. He had to stay away, and besides he had Bryn to look after. Even if he did go back…

Stop it! He told himself firmly. You can't go back because you messed up Maddy's life, she'll never want you back, and you have Bryn to look after. This was what he told himself every time he started to doubt his decision to leave Stoneybridge.

One day, something happened which interrupted their usual routine. They had been hunting for the final time that day, when Ceri told them that they wouldn't be going out to check the borders.

"Why not?" Asked Bryn. "What's happening mum?"

"I think it's time for Rhydian to meet our neighbouring pack" Ceri told them. "They helped me out a few times when you weren't here, Rhydian. We're going to meet them at the northern border of our territory. Come on." She put down the remains of the animal she was eating and got up, expecting the others to follow, which they did. Rhydian sighed and threw away the rest of his own meal. He didn't really want to go and meet another pack, much less thank them. But he did as he was told, because he didn't want any trouble. They ran north, Bryn easily keeping up with Rhydian and Ceri. His wolf powers had been growing, and Ceri and Rhydian suspected that his first transformation was approaching. They reached the northern border, and as they got there, a man stepped out from behind a tree. He was tall, with wild black hair and a beard. His eyes were a deep blue, and he spoke with a booming voice.

"Ceri."

"Stefan. It's good to see you. This is Rhydian", Ceri said, taking Rhydian by the arm and pulling him forwards to face Stefan. Rhydian looked up at Stefan, while Stefan peered down at him. It was Stefan who spoke first.

"Rhydian. You seem a strapping young lad. Why didn't you return when your mother first asked you?" he boomed.

"I… er…"

"He was in the hands of a tame!" Ceri spat from behind him.

"A tame?" Stefan roared. "Boy, is this true?" Rhydian noticed that he had stopped calling him by his name. He winced.

"She's my friend!" He protested, finally finding his voice.

"No." Stefan said calmly, but his voice rang with authority. "Wild wolfbloods do not associate themselves with tames. They are a disgrace to our species and you will not shame your mother by having anything else to do with them. She struggled after you left. Bryn wasn't old enough to do all the things she needed doing. So you will be a good son to her. Is that clear?" Rhydian opened his mouth to defend himself, but another look at Stefan convinced him otherwise.

"Yes sir." He said meekly.

"Good. Now then. This is my wife Gwen." He gestured to a pretty woman now appearing from behind a tree. "And my children." He gestured to a boy who looked about Bryn's age, and a girl with blonde hair who was hiding behind her mother. Rhydian nodded politely to them. Gwen smiled in return, and then spoke to Stefan.

"Stefan we must be getting back. It's getting late."

"Yes, of course." Stefan turned to face Ceri, Bryn and Rhydian. "Until the next time then, Ceri's pack."

"Until the next time." Ceri repeated, and with that, the two packs parted. Rhydian privately thought that he had no intention of seeing Stefan's pack ever again, but right now he had more important matters on his mind, and when they got back to their den he rounded on Ceri.

"What were you doing?" he shouted.

"I don't know what you mean." Ceri said, pretending to look shocked.

"Oh you know perfectly well what I mean!" Rhydian snarled, his eyes already with flecks of gold in them. "You were only introducing me to them so you could try and make me feel guilty for not coming with you in the first place!" Ceri's face was contorted with anger.

"How dare you! You _refuse_ to come with me when I _beg_ you to come home. I leave my son to come all the way to a _human_ settlement to try and find you, only to discover that you would leave your own _mother_ for a _tame…_"

"You were the one who dumped me on the humans in the first place, and for the last time _Do. Not. Call. Maddy. TAME!_" The last word came out as a growl as Rhydian turned into a fully-fledged wolf and leapt at Ceri, knocking her to the ground. He growled in her face and bared his teeth.

"Rhydian! No!" Bryn, who had been watching the whole encounter ran over to Rhydian and tried to pull the wolf off his mother, to no avail. "Please Rhydian!" He cried. Rhydian heard him, and realising what he was doing, got off Ceri and turned back into human form. Ceri got up, furious.

"I don't know what you think you're doing Rhydian, but I am your mother, whether you like it or not, and I will _not_ be treated in this way. You can hunt for animals tomorrow morning for all of us by yourself and you will not come into the cave for a week. You can sleep outside, and I don't care if it rains." With that, she walked into the cave, taking Bryn with her, leaving Rhydian outside to his thoughts.

There was a clap of thunder, and it began to rain. Rhydian didn't mind the rain as such, he just wasn't looking forward to spending the night in it. He sighed and lay back, trying to find a comfortable space on the forest floor. He thought of the comfortable beds of the human world. Right now, his decision to leave was looking feeble. He missed Maddy. She was always there for him. She'd always understood him when no one else did. She'd comforted him when nobody else had been bothered. Even when her parents banned her from seeing him, that hadn't stopped her. Rhydian smiled sadly at the thought of her first transformation. He'd fallen off the top of a shed, and pretended to hurt his ankle so he could stay on the island for the full moon. Maddy had refused to leave him, even though it meant sacrificing her first transformation with her parents. She'd really cared for him, and he'd gone and mucked it up. Rhydian rolled onto his side and curled up into a ball, feeling vulnerable. He felt something small and soft wriggle into his arms. He looked down, surprised. He saw a pair of small brown eyes looking back at him. Bryn. Rhydian smiled and ruffled Bryn's hair softly. Then he lay on his back and drifted slowly off to sleep.

In the morning, Bryn was punished for sneaking out. Ceri yelled at him, slapped him on the cheek and sent him to get wood by himself. Rhydian watched from behind a tree and clenched his jaw, wondering how she could do that to her own son. Rhydian didn't speak to her until a week later, when his punishment was lifted. It was also full moon day.

Ceri called him into the cave.

"Well Rhydian, you are allowed into the cave now. I hope you have learned your lesson. Have you?" Rhydian, who had had a hard night and a sore back, turned to her and said

"I miss Maddy." He immediately clapped a hand over his mouth. He couldn't believe he'd just said that. He could not have said anything worse.

"I beg your pardon?" Ceri said, and Rhydian breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't heard him!

"I said yes mum, I have."

"No you didn't." Oh no… she did hear him! "You said that you missed the tame!"

"I didn't mean to say it!" Rhydian said, desperately trying to defend himself. He didn't want to spend another night outside. Ceri surveyed him with narrow eyes.

"Go and collect wood, and think about what you've said. We'll talk again when you get back." She turned away from him, the conversation apparently over. Rhydian walked out of the cave and up out of the little hollow, his hands balled into fists. Oh yes they would talk later.

When he got back from collecting wood, Ceri was standing in the middle of the hollow with Bryn.

"What's going on?" Rhydian asked, putting his pile of sticks down in a neat pile and hurrying towards them.

"I think it's going to be Bryn's first transformation!" Ceri said. "We're not going hunting today. We shall wait until the moon rises, when we can hunt properly." She announced. Then she walked over to Rhydian and said in a low voice "Our talk can wait until later. I don't want you messing up Bryn's first transformation." And she walked away without waiting for an answer. Rhydian thought of how he'd messed up Maddy's first transformation, and decided not to argue with Ceri. He wanted Bryn to enjoy tonight.

That night, as the moon rose, Rhydian was not thinking of how his brother was transforming into a wolf for the first time right next to him; all he could think of was Maddy. He missed her so much it hurt. Whilst Bryn and Ceri were running about at top speed, all he wanted to do was sleep. So he lay down, put his head on his paws and slept.

When Rhydian woke in the morning, he saw that Bryn and Ceri were not far away, and that Bryn was awake, whilst Ceri was not. Bryn came over and sat down next to him.

"Last night was great!" He said "Being a wolfblood is going to be so amazing." Rhydian swallowed a lump in his throat as he remembered the words Maddy had said to him after her first transformation. "You weren't very lively though. What's wrong?" Bryn continued, looking at his brother with concern. Rhydian turned to look at him. "It's your tame friend isn't it?" Bryn said.

"She's not tame!" Rhydian said.

"Sorry." Bryn replied. "You miss her, don't you?" Rhydian nodded, not trusting himself to speak. "You can tell me." Bryn told him. "I won't tell mum." Rhydian decided to be honest.

"I miss her so much. It's like… something I can't describe. I miss her smile, and the way she would look at me to think up an excuse for why we disappeared together. I miss the way she flicks her hair out of her eyes, and the way she chews on the end of her pen when she's thinking. That first transformation I had with her was amazing, and now I just feel that I can't enjoy myself without her."

"Sounds like you love her." Bryn said.

"No!" Rhydian stood up. Bryn looked at him sceptically. "Yes? I don't know! I just know that I need her back."

"So go then!" Bryn replied. "What are you waiting for?" Rhydian kicked up some leaves.

"I can't go back."

"Why not?"

"Because I messed up her life! I almost got her secret revealed to everybody! She almost had to move!" He ran his hands through his hair and sat down next to Bryn again.

"Almost? So you didn't actually get her secret revealed?"

"No, I managed to stop her friends revealing it."

"Well then!" Bryn said

"Well what?" Bryn rolled his eyes and said exasperatedly

"Her friends would probably have found out anyway, and you saved her secret. If she feels about you the same way you feel about her, she'll have forgiven you." Rhydian looked down at him.

"But what if I did leave? What about you?" Rhydian asked.

"I'll be fine. I've managed without you before, haven't I?" Bryn replied.

"I don't want to leave you, though." Rhydian said. Bryn rolled his eyes again.

"You have to make a decision Rhydian! You can't have both. Life's not always perfect."

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! What do you think Rhydian's going to decide? Please review and tell me what you think! :)**


	3. Decisions and Conversations

**Disclaimer: I don't own Wolfblood**

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"One important thing to remember Maddy is that life's not always perfect"

"I know mam, I know." Maddy sighed. Her mum looked at her.

"Promise me Maddy, promise me you'll move on!" Emma said to her earnestly. Maddy looked up at her with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, mam. I don't think I can."

"Oh Maddy." Emma said, pulling her in tighter. "I hate to see you like this. Rhydian's not coming back, and the only way you can feel better is to move on, leave him behind. Do you understand?"

"Yes mam."

"Good girl. How about you ring Shannon and Tom and arrange something, eh? Make a start on moving on." Maddy just nodded, and Emma squeezed her shoulder before moving off to unlock the door of the den. Maddy pulled her knees up to her chest and tried to think of anything but Rhydian. She'd promised her mum she'd get over him, so she had to try. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialled Shannon's number. It rang twice, and then "Hello?"

"Shan? It's me. Do you wanna meet up?"

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"You have to make a decision Rhydian! You can't have both. Life's not always perfect."

"I know, I know." Rhydian put his head in his hands and rubbed his forehead in frustration. "If… If I did leave, could I come back and see you?"

"Of course! Although, I think it would be better if I came to see you. Mum won't be so happy with you going, she will have less people to collect wood and guard the territory." Bryn said, with a wisdom beyond his years.

"That's true." Rhydian conceded. "But she'll have Stefan and his pack." Bryn nodded slowly.

"Sounds like you're going then." Bryn said. Rhydian looked at him sheepishly.

"Going where? What are you talking about?" Rhydian and Bryn spun round to see Ceri standing behind them.

"Mum!" Bryn said, taking a step back. "How long have you been listening?" Ceri glared at him.

"Never you mind! I want to know what you two were talking about!" Rhydian took a deep breath.

"I've decided to go back to Stoneybridge." He announced.

"What?" spat Ceri. "The _human_ settlement?"

"Yes. Problem?" Rhydian stared his mother down. She narrowed her eyes.

"This is about that tame, isn't it?"

"What does it matter that Maddy's family choose to integrate with humans?" Rhydian said.

"I cannot allow this. I forbid it." Ceri said, with a calm authority.

"You can't forbid my feelings any more than I can. I won't deny them any longer, I love her." There was a calm silence, where even the forest seemed to stand still. Rhydian smiled to himself as his voice rang with truth. "I love Maddy."

"Then you leave me no choice." Ceri replied, black veins creeping up her neck, and her eyes turning yellow.

"Ceri." Rhydian said in a warning voice. "You don't want to do this." Ceri hissed at him.

"You have made it clear to me that you cannot control your feelings for this girl. This is for your own good." And with that she growled loudly, transformed herself into a wolf and leapt upon Rhydian.

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Maddy laughed loudly at a joke Tom had told. She was in Bernie's with Shannon and Tom, drinking a milkshake through a straw. Shannon was reading a newspaper, and Tom was telling her about the time he blew up his mum's microwave, whilst making a lot of bad puns. Maddy flicked her hair out of her eyes and looked out of the window.

"Someone looks happy." Shannon observed over the top of her newspaper. Maddy laughed.

"You know what? I am." She smiled at Shannon and Tom confidently. "I've decided to move on from Rhydian and get on with my life." Shannon folded up her newspaper.

"Good. You haven't been yourself lately Maddy. You've been moping around, not talking to us or anyone. Tom and I have been getting really concerned about you."

"But not to the point where we were, like, getting worried about your mental health or anything." Tom put in hastily. "We always knew you'd come round." Shannon reached over the table and took Maddy's hand in both of hers.

"This was always going to be a tough time for you Maddy, but you know Tom and I are always here for you." Maddy smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"Thanks Shan." She replied. Tom wrinkled his nose.

"Please. Enough with the girly stuff!" He said disgusted. Shannon and Maddy laughed. Tom rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go to the park." He suggested.

"Can't we go to the woods instead?" Maddy asked.

"The woods?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

"Come on, guys." Maddy pleaded. "It'll be fun! We can play hide and seek, manhunt or whatever. Please?" Shannon grinned.

"Sounds good to me." She said. They both turned to Tom, who sighed.

"Seems like I'm outvoted then. The woods it is."

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After a fun filled afternoon in the woods, in which Maddy, Tom and Shannon had played everything from hide-and-seek to tag, they trudged back to Bernie's, worn out but happy. At least, Shannon and Tom were worn out. Maddy was leaping around like a wild thing, the energy from the almost full moon giving her virtually constant energy. She looked back at Tom and Shannon who were out of breath from trying to keep up with her.

"Slow down Maddy!" Shannon called.

"What's up with you two?" Maddy asked, stopping.

"What's up with us?" Tom spluttered. "What's up with you? How can you _still_ be so energetic?" Maddy looked at them, surprised at their words as they finally caught up with her. She looked from the panting Shannon, who was leaning on her knees for support to the slightly more sporty Tom who had a line of sweat across his forehead, and said:

"Rhydian wouldn't be puffing like a train after that. He's call it a light jog."

Shannon straightened up, put her hands on her hips and squared her shoulders. "I thought you were moving on from him?"

"I was, but…"

"Because it doesn't sound like it to me." Shannon said, frankly. "All we get is Rhydian this, Rhydian that. I'm sorry we can't keep up with your high expectations, but we're all you've got."

"Yeah Maddy." Tom agreed, before Maddy could respond. "We haven't all got super energy, you know. We're sorry you have to put up with us." He continued sarcastically, pushing past her with Shannon, and shouting over his shoulder: "But hey, life's not always perfect."

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**A/N: Anyone spot the Merlin quotes? What do you think will happen next? And, for people who have asked, Maddy wasn't deliberately being mean, she just didn't think before she opened her mouth. Please review, it really helps me to keep writing, I REALLY want to know what you think!**


	4. The Return

**A/N: This chapter's shorter, but there's some important stuff in it to make up for it.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Wolfblood :'( But there's a double bill every Tuesday at 7pm on BBC Three, British viewers! :)**

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"You have made it clear to me that you cannot control your feelings for this girl. This is for your own good." And with that Ceri growled loudly, transformed herself into a wolf and leapt upon Rhydian.

Rhydian jumped aside at the last moment, giving himself time to transform as he turned to face his mother. The began to circle each other, ears pulled back and teeth bared, growling in the back of their throats. Bryn, assessing the situation, decided to shinny up a nearby tree for safety as Ceri made the first attack. She bounded forward, only for her claws to sink into bare ground as Rhydian leapt away from her reach yet again. Ceri howled in annoyance and chased after him, but Rhydian was younger and fitter and he dodged away each time. Ceri realised that it wasn't working, so she decided to be tactical. Rhydian dodged her last blow and ran off, however he couldn't hear her following him, so he turned around, but Ceri was nowhere to be seen. The forest was silent except for Bryn up in the tree, who seemed unsure whose side he should be on.

Rhydian padded forward, passing a thick tree trunk, which snarled at him. Rhydian whipped round, only to see the true source of noise mere inches away from his face. Ceri snapped at him with her teeth as Rhydian tried to fend her off. Locked together, the two wolves stumbled about until Rhydian finally pushed his mother off him with a roar. Ceri flew backwards through the air and her back slammed in to the tree with a thick trunk hard. She slipped to the ground, her limbs useless and she moaned pitifully once before her eyes closed and her head dropped to the ground. She didn't move.

Everything was quiet until- "NOOOO! MUM!" Bryn seemed to have finally found his voice. He jumped down from the tree and ran over to Ceri's prone body. He rolled her on to her side and knotted his fingers in her fur. Bryn rocked himself gently as tears left trails down his grubby cheeks. "Mum? Mum, please. Please. No. No." He threaded his fingers through the patch of fluffy fur at the base of her neck and cuddled her as he cried.

Rhydian, who had changed back into human form, stared in horror at what he had done. He hadn't meant to do anything like that. All he wanted to do was make her see that she needed to accept Maddy. Bryn turned to face him. "Bryn, I…" Rhydian started, but he was cut off by Bryn.

"Just go, Rhydian."

"But…" Rhydian tried to continue. He desperately needed Bryn to know that he hadn't intended any of this to happen. And besides, he couldn't leave Bryn here on his own.

"It's okay, Rhydian. I know you didn't mean for this to happen." Bryn said in a flat voice. "Go back to the human world. You don't belong here, and we both know it."

"What about you? What will you do? Where will you go?" Rhydian asked. Bryn looked down.

"I'll go join Stefan's pack."

"No!"

"I am no longer any concern of yours, Rhydian. I'm old enough to make my own decisions." Bryn stated bluntly. "Go now, Rhydian. Run back to the humans." Rhydian took Bryn's hand in his.

"I'll miss you." He said. Bryn managed a half smile.

"So long Rhydian, and thanks for all the science." Rhydian stood up.

"Goodbye, Bryn."

"Goodbye Rhydian."

Rhydian stood up, collected his bag from the cave and ran off as fast as his human legs would carry him. Bryn watched him disappear; within minutes he was just a tiny dot in the distance, and then he was gone.

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We're sorry you have to put up with us." Tom continued sarcastically, pushing past her with Shannon, and shouting over his shoulder: "But hey, life's not always perfect."

Maddy stared after their retreating figures, biting her lip. She hadn't meant to be mean, she just sometimes didn't think before she spoke. Far too late, she shouted "Tom, Shan, wait, I didn't mean it!" She ran a few paces ahead, but they had already gone. She stared down the empty lane sadly. Why couldn't she just think first?

Maddy looked up at the landscape. The trees were blowing slightly in the gentle breeze and the sky had streaks of pink in it from the setting sun.

"Maddy?" A voice said from behind her. Maddy turned around and saw a familiar figure standing behind her. Someone who had never really left her. Someone who she could never really move on from. Someone who she loved. Maddy gasped.

"Rhydian?"

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Rhydian ran through woodland too fast to see it properly. He knew where he was going. He had a lot of miles to cover, but at top speed it only took him a few hours. He arrived in Stoneybridge just as the sun was setting. The sky had streaks of pink in it. He put his head up and sniffed the air. He could smell her. She was close. He ran through the woods that he and Maddy had spent so much time in together, and he came out the other side on to a country lane. He looked to his right, and there she was. She was looking in the other direction, so she hadn't noticed him yet. He walked forward, got his breath back and called out:

"Maddy?" She turned around and gasped.

"Rhydian?" She hadn't changed a bit. He smiled wearily at her, but she didn't return it. Instead she took a cautious step towards him. "Is it really you?" She asked. He put his arms out.

"Take a sniff." She put her nose in the air and inhaled deeply, before smiling and running towards him, at the same time as he began running towards her. They met in the middle, and they put their arms around each other in a hug that felt like it would never end. Maddy buried her face in his neck, enjoying his familiar scent. His hair was longer, his clothes were scruffier, and he looked more tired than she had ever seen him, but he was her Rhydian, he was back, and that was all that mattered.

Rhydian put his hands around her waist, pulling her to him. "God, I've missed you Maddy" he said into her hair. Maddy smiled.

"Likewise. The full moon was awful."

"I know the feeling."

"Why did you leave?" Maddy asked, pulling away from him. Rhydian looked at her ruefully and ran a hand through his hair.

"I ruined your life, Maddy. I was the one who was responsible for your secret being found out. After all you did for me, I thought it was best that I did what your parents wanted and left." Rhydian put his head down in shame. Maddy stared at him.

"WHAT?" She spat. Rhydian looked up. "Do you have ANY idea what I've been going through since you left? My life has been HELL without you. I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't even be a wolf properly, so don't come back complaining about how you've treated me badly, because you have NO idea. Leaving me was the worst thing you have EVER done to me." Maddy stopped ranting and looked at Rhydian, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Rhydian stared at her with his mouth open in shock, as Maddy's face crumpled and she sat down on the verge at the edge of the road and put her head in her hands, sobbing quietly. Rhydian sat next to her and put his arm around her, giving her shoulder a friendly squeeze.

"I am so sorry Maddy." He whispered in her ear. When she had calmed down a bit, she leaned into him and said

"What about your family?" Rhydian looked out towards the horizon.

"Well, I couldn't have both, and I couldn't live without you for long, so I came back. Life's not always perfect."

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**A/N: Well, this story really does write itself! I never intended any of that to happen to Ceri, it just did :P As usual, my lovely readers, please leave a review! You have no idea how much it motivates me to write! It only takes one review, and the next chapter just comes rolling out of my head and on to the computer. So please! Please! :)**


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